Very shortly after completing the intro galaxy which takes ~2-3 hours to finish. The intro galaxy can be skipped at any time via Main Menu>Single Player>Skip Intro Galaxy.

The first few hours of the campaign are linear, as they introduce gameplay concepts in a logical order. Once you complete the 4th galaxy in the game, the non-linear portion of the campaign begins, which comprises ~50% of the campaign. The game's final story arch is linear.

However, there are six Scenarios to choose from, which can be played single or multiplayer. These scenarios contain procedurally generated content. In some cases, the level layouts, backgrounds, and even enemies are procedurally generated to give you a unique challenge every time you play.

In order to play local co-op you will have to pilot a Duo type ship.

When binding abilities in the customize screen, you can scroll down to bind them to the second player's controls. Duo type ships can be used in the majority of the single campaign (the intro galaxy being the primary exception).

Duo type ships can also be used in all online multiplayer modes.

Unfortunately, no. Only local co-op is available for the main campaign. However, there are several online co-op scenarios.

In the main menu, select Multiplayer>Join>By Name and then enter the name of the private server.

Go to Options>Game>Aim Mode and set to preferred mode. You may have to scroll down a bit to reach the Aim Mode option.

Yes, the game supports full keyboard/mouse binding as well as partial gamepad binding.

Definitely! The game allows for drop in/out connections and seamless host migration. All multiplayer modes, except for deathmatch, can be played right away when created. All modes will scale themselves depending on the amount of players in the match.

In the Main Menu, select Profile>Copy>CurrentProfileName; then enter a name for the new profile. When the creation confirmation pop up appears, select Create Cloud Profile.

This will create a Steam Cloud profile. As long as a Steam Cloud profile is active, your data will be saved to the cloud.

First, create a Windows Media Player playlist containing all the sounds you wish to play when you score a kill in the game. Once the playlist has been saved, go to Options>Audio>Kill Sounds and select the name of the playlist you created. A random sound from the playlist will be played whenever you destroy a manned ship.

No, the game has controls more akin to Subspace Continuum or Silent Death.

Research progresses in real world time, even when you are not playing the game.

There are 2 ways to speed up research.
1) You can Fund Research in the shop. This will allow you to spend Plex (in-game currency) to finish research quicker. You can find the Fund Research button on the bottom of the Shop Screen.
2) Completing missions. Every time a mission is completed, research progresses an amount based on the Plex obtained in the mission.

Important things to note:
- The maximum queue for completed research is 10.
- Researching a generic category such as All Equipment or All Archetypes reduces research times.
- Research categories highlighted green are equipment types your current ship can use.

FM stands for Flick the Mouse. This will activate your archetype ability in the direction you move the mouse.